BOISE, Idaho (Interstat) — Boise State used a strong second half to defeat San Jose State 84-69 in a Mountain West Conference men’s basketball game Saturday at Taco Bell Arena. The Broncos, who led 36-31 at halftime, outscored the Spartans 48-38 after the break to secure the victory before a crowd of 10,761. Drew Fielder led Boise State with 20 points and five rebounds. Adrian Myers paced San Jose State with 23 points and eight rebounds, while Colby Garland added 22 points. Boise State improved to 16-11 overall. San Jose State fell to 7-20.

BOISE, Idaho (Interstat) — Drew Fielder scored 20 points and Boise State used a dominant second-half surge to pull away from San Jose State for an 84-69 victory in Mountain West Conference men’s basketball on Saturday afternoon at Taco Bell Arena. A crowd of 10,761 watched the Broncos improve to 16-11 overall and bolster their postseason resume, while the Spartans fell to 7-20. The game’s pivotal stretch arrived early in the second half. Leading 36-31 at halftime, Boise State opened the period on a 14-4 run to establish a double-digit advantage it would never relinquish. The Broncos’ offense, which shot 48% from the field after halftime, consistently found seams against the Spartan defense, while their own defensive pressure limited San Jose State’s opportunities. Fielder, a 6-foot-11 sophomore from Boise, was the catalyst, efficiently scoring his 20 points on 9-of-12 shooting from the field in just 26 minutes. He added five rebounds, two assists and two blocks, anchoring the paint for the Broncos. His performance inside, including several key baskets during the decisive run, proved too much for San Jose State to counter. Adrian Myers led all scorers with 23 points for San Jose State, playing all 40 minutes and adding eight rebounds. Backcourt mate Colby Garland also went the distance, contributing 22 points and five assists. The duo combined for 45 of the Spartans’ 69 points, but received limited support elsewhere. Boise State’s offensive balance overwhelmed the Spartans. Andrew Meadow scored 16 points, Dylan Andrews added 12 points and four assists, and Javan Buchanan chipped in 11 points and seven rebounds. The Broncos outscored San Jose State 42-38 in the paint and 10-5 on fast breaks, showcasing their ability to score in transition and through execution in the half-court. San Jose State hung tough in a disjointed first half that featured 15 combined turnovers. The Spartans led briefly at 2-0 after an Adrian Myers dunk on the opening possession, but Boise State responded with a 10-0 spurt to take control. The Broncos led by as many as eight in the period, but Garland and Myers kept the Spartans within striking distance, trailing by just five at the break. Any hope of a road upset was extinguished in the first five minutes of the second half. Fielder scored inside, Andrews hit a three-pointer, and Meadow connected on a turnaround jumper as the Broncos’ lead ballooned to 50-35 with 15 minutes remaining. San Jose State never got closer than nine points the rest of the way, as Boise State methodically maintained its advantage, answering every Spartan basket. The victory allowed Boise State to sweep the season series, having defeated San Jose State 89-58 in San Jose on Jan. 27. It also provided a bounce-back win after the Broncos dropped a 75-56 decision at Utah State earlier in the week. For San Jose State, the loss continued a difficult season despite the high-minute heroics of Myers and Garland. The Spartans have lost three of their last four games. Boise State, which entered the game as a 16-point favorite according to sportsbooks, covered the spread. The total points scored, 153, went under the betting over/under line of 144.5. The Broncos will look to build on the win when they host Wyoming on Tuesday night. San Jose State continues its road trip with a game at Air Force on Tuesday.

BOISE, Idaho (Interstat) — A surging San Jose State looks to build on its biggest win of the season when it visits a reeling Boise State in a Mountain West Conference men’s basketball rematch Saturday at Taco Bell Arena. The Spartans (7-19, 3-10 MW) stunned first-place Nevada 87-71 on Tuesday, snapping a six-game losing streak. The Broncos (15-11, 6-7), once in the conference title chase, have lost three straight and five of their last seven. All momentum hinges on the play of each team’s standout. San Jose State is powered by guard Colby Garland, who is averaging 38 minutes and 22.1 points over his last seven games. He erupted for 29 points and nine assists in the win over Nevada. In the teams’ first meeting on Jan. 27, a dominant 89-58 Boise State road victory, Garland was held to 10 points in 30 minutes. Boise State will counter with forward Drew Fielder, who scored 16 points in that January rout of the Spartans. Fielder has been a bright spot during the Broncos’ slump, averaging 16.3 points over his last three games, including a 27-point performance in an overtime loss to UNLV on Feb. 13. The Broncos have traditionally owned this series, winning 16 of the last 17 meetings. Their defense, which held San Jose State to 32.8% shooting in the first matchup, will need to rediscover its form after allowing an average of 82.3 points during the three-game skid. Meanwhile, the Spartans, who also got 21 points from Adrian Myers and 15 from Sadraque NgaNga against Nevada, will seek to prove their latest performance was a turning point, not an aberration. A win in Boise would give them their first two-game conference winning streak this season. For Boise State, the game is critical to stop its slide and improve its seeding for the upcoming Mountain West tournament. Tipoff is scheduled for 4 p.m. PST Saturday.